Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia Part 1

Long weekend....Padang here I come!

The endless bathtub

This is not Bali, this is not Maldives, this is untouched and not really known....other than for surfing at the Mentawai Islands.

I am not a surfer nor a diver, I am even paranoid when I snorkel hand in hand my dear husband. For a couple of hundreds, I have way much more fun than a trip worth thousands. The food was different, the people were friendly, the weather was great, even the dolphins came out to say hi!

My objective of this trip was to take a rest, do some work and maybe just walk about the little village town and see new things. Instead, I did none of those. I ate, and ate and ate, sat on the boat for the two trips out, snorkel, tried surfing, showered with the door open, met new people and made new friendships and heaps more.

What to expect:

1) Long queues at the immigration counters once you get off.
2) Some passports require Visa at the counters so get ready your money.
3) The 'angkuts' or vans/taxis have no doors.
4) Restrain yourself from wearing a Bikini and walking about the town.
5) Eating alot of sinful food which are too yummy to resist.
6) Dusty roads, so don't bring your white Gucci trainers.
7) No McD, KFC they have CFC.
8) No 7-11
9) Cheap avocados
10) others... update when I remember.

Diving: Contact a local dive centre who will hook you up this trip.

Think its about RM1k for a 4 day 3 night dive trip. You get like 6 dives and food, accommodation, transportation, most importantly GREAT HOSPITALITY! Felt like family.

I was on the boat most of the time. Talking to the Captain and his helper Seto. Learnt alot from them two...damn Malaysia for some reasons.

Here are a couple of photos that I took while waiting for them to get off and get on the boat.

As you can see, this place is almost inhabited. You only get the occasional fisherman and his crew cruising by catching fish or trawling. They too see to be friendly. Once we were having our lunch on the boat by the beach, the other fishermen just swam across and hung out on our boat talking to the Captain.

This da boat I spent most of my trip on. Thank god I did not puke or choke on my own vomit. Captain says 'ubat mabuk = pineapple'. There is a constant supply of mineral water on the boat for the passengers. The boat is clean, comfy and not a bathtub. But please don't chuck your ciggies into the ocean!

The fishing boats. They too stop at the island to get some coconut to drink and some place to rest. This seems like a great life at some point.

You could snorkel towards the island and take your lunch. Such a task for some food. Heheh

Sometime 6-7pm. On the way back.

Nearing the docks, you will see green water with heaps of floating bottles. This is due to the lack of garbage collection in remote areas. Everything just floods this way. Might look a bit disgusting. I was told sometimes you could see dead dogs floating with their legs up. Urgh! The bridge ahead is the Jambatan Siti Nurbaya. Story was a girl die in the name of love. Very Romeo & Julietish. I don't know, go read on google.

This is the place to be on a Saturday night! The locals ride their motorbikes on the bridge, park them at the side and flirt around or just bike around to get some attention. There are many stalls set up at both sides selling local deserts. More food next!

I don't know if you would call this Dutch buildings left by the Dutch people years and years ago. 

Walkway to the boat on the left. I like the village atmosphere.